Don’t call rule of law as muscular: Jaitley

Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday accused the terrorists in Kashmir and Maoists, who have also infiltrated into human rights outfits in tribal areas, of gross human right violations while raising an accusing finger at the government whose policy is to save the human rights of every Indian, be it a tribal or a Kashmiri.

In a lengthy article on “Who is threatening human rights?,” he lambasted those caught in the idiom of ‘muscular policy in Kashmir’ to describe how the Centre will try to act in Jammu and Kashmir since imposition of the Governor’s rule in the state after collapse of the elected coalition government, asserting not to call the rule of law as ‘muscular.’

Asserting as paramount to protest India’s sovereignty and the right to life of its citizens, Jaitley argues: “To deal with a killer is also a law and order issue. It can’t wait a political solution. A Fidayeen is willing to die. He is also willing to kill. Should he be dealt with by offering Satyagraha before him? When he advances to kill, should the security forces

that confront him, ask him to sit on a table and have dialogue with them?

“A policy, therefore, has to be to protect the ordinary citizen of the valley; get him freedom from the terror; provide him with a better quality of life and environment. A terrorist who refuses to surrender and refuses a ceasefire offer has to be dealt with as anybody taking law in his own hand. This is not ‘muscular’. It is the rule of law.”

Turning to the Maoists, Jaitley says their sponsored human rights organisations only espouse the cause of separatism and violence – be it in Kashmir or Chhattisgarh. “They have brought a bad name to a very precious and valuable concept of human rights. Their international affiliates are no different.”

He also puts the separatist leaders of Kashmir at par with the terrorists, asserting that “among the Jehadis and the separatists, there are many who are trained by our western neighbour (Pakistan) and actively financed by it.”

Their prime objective is to create disaffection against the Indian State and some local youth have also joined them, he said.

To deal with a killer is also a law and order issue. A Fidayeen is willing to die. He is also willing to kill. Should he be dealt with by offering Satyagraha before him? –ARUN JAITLEY, Union Minister